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Labour plans women-only seats on local councils

TONY BLAIR is facing a new row over preferential treatment for women in the Labour party that would aim to catapult more women into local council seats.

A proposal to reserve specific town hall posts for women only is expected to go to the party’s ruling body, the male dominated national executive committee, in the next two months.

The drive is being led by Patricia Hewitt, the women’s minister in the cabinet, who is also secretary of state for trade and industry. If the rules changed, one seat in multi- member council wards would be reserved for a Labour woman. Most council seats have two or three members.

Hewitt’s plans mirror Labour’s decision last year to introduce women-only short-lists at the next general election in constituencies where sitting MPs have already announced their intended retirement. The initiative is expected to be extended as the date of the general election comes